Left Behind
by Axelrocks
Summary: First, Merle and now, Carol. This was the last time Rick was leaving someone he cared about behind.
1. Chapter 1

**So, I know that this has been done A LOT of times already, but this was a result of my anger over that last episode. Also, a friend said I should post this because it originally was just going to be for her. This is just how I want Daryl to react to Carol missing and it might just be two parts, but I have some ideas on how it could possibly be a short story. I want to see how well this is received first before I go ahead with them.**

**Once again, this is just my version of what I hope happens in the show, so please, if you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say it at all! Thank you and I hope there is some people out there that might like this! :) **

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**Chapter One**

He couldn't fuckin' believe it. This was deja vu. Everything about this situation was the same except the location and the fact that he didn't have a dozen squirrels strapped to his belt. His crossbow lay across his back and he fiddled with strap with his eyes narrowed.

Rick stood in front of him, body and face cocked to the side and hand resting on his pistol, just like it had been over a year ago at the quarry.

"You got somethin' you want to tell me, Rick?" Even his words mirrored those said so long ago. He had just gotten back from his run with Ty, Michonne and Bob and after dropping off the meds to Hershel, he had gone off to find Carol. The run had been difficult both physically and mentally and he needed to unwind, but his best friend and confidante was nowhere to be seen.

Maggie had reassured him that she wasn't with the sick, but that was all she said. The look she had given him made him go straight to Rick. Something was up and he was going to find out what it was.

He had finally found Rick standing by the blackened remains of his pigpen. The man turned to face him and he skipped the pleasantries.

"Where's Carol?" He demanded.

"Daryl..." The former sheriff started.

"Where. Is. She?" This was no time to beat around the goddamn bush. Something was up and he needed Rick to tell him. Right. Now.

"She killed Karen and David."

The wind left his sails, then. That wasn't possible. Carol would _never_ kill someone in cold blood like that. His Carol was kind, caring and liked to tease him.

_ His_ Carol was not a cold-blooded killer.

"She admitted it me, Daryl. She said she did it because she wanted to stop the sickness from spreading."

"Where is she now?" He got a sick feeling in his gut and he clutched harder at the strap of his crossbow.

"Daryl, I'm going to need you keep a calm head about this..." Rick stepped closer to him with a placating hand, but made sure to angle his body away.

"You got somethin' you want to tell me, Rick?" He bit out.

Rick avoided the hunter's eyes. "Carol isn't here."

"What?" He took a menacing step forward. "What do you mean she ain't here?"

"I took her on a run and-"

"She dead?" His voice cracked slightly as he spoke the words.

"No, I left her out there. I banished her from the prison." The words were said so matter of fact, Daryl had to clench his fists tightly so that he wouldn't punch Rick in the face for being so unemotional about it.

"What?!"

"She killed two of our own, Daryl. She's lost her humanity and I don't trust her around my children and the rest of the group."

"Whoa, let me get this straight, Rick." Daryl was having a hard time processing everything that had just been said. "You don't _trust_ her anymore? The same woman who has taken care of your kids, has taken care of everyone fuckin' person here and who would probably put her life before _anyone_ else."

"Daryl, listen, you don't-"

"No, I do understand, Rick! After months of not wanting to be the leader, you finally decide you want that position back. That's not how it works." Daryl began to pace angrily in front of the other man.

"She's a danger to us, Daryl. What if it had been one of us sick instead of Karen or David? She would have killed us and not given a second thought about it. I talked to her, Daryl. There isn't anything left of the old Carol."

Daryl stopped in his tracks and choose to ignore the last comment. Rick didn't know shit about Carol. When was the last time he talked to her anyway? He had been too busy with his fuckin' plants and pigs to pay attention to much else. "Why's your kid still here, then?"

Rick looked taken aback. "Excuse me?"

"I said, why the hell is Carl still here?"

"I don't understand-"

"Your kid killed a boy, not much older than a teenager, when he was _surrenderin'._ If we're kickin' people out because they're a danger, than why is he still in here?" Daryl walked so close to Rick that there faces almost touched. "Why are _you_ still here?"

Rick was silent and he kept his gaze averted.

"It wasn't your fuckin' call to make, Rick, and you know it." Daryl took a step back.

"I didn't do it just because she was a danger. If Tyreese found out, then he'd kill her. I did it to protect her, too."

"Leave fuckin' Tyreese to me. He ain't goin' to lay a hand on her." He turned to leave, then. He was going to find her. It didn't matter that he had just gotten back from a run, he knew he wouldn't be able to relax until she was back where she belonged. And that was right by his side.

"She's not welcome back here."

Daryl whipped around. "The hell you say?"

"You heard me, Daryl." Rick stood his ground, his hand still brushing the handle of his gun. "She's not welcome back here. I can't have her around my children."

"That ain't your decision, either. This is her home just as much as it's yours, if not more. While you were off in crazy town, she kept her head, took care of _your_ kids and helped keep this group together. While you were off being Farmer Rick, she helped run this place and helped keep it fed." He moved to walk away again, but stopped. "When I bring her back, Rick, which I_ will _do, I don't want you to ever call me your brother again. You're not shit to me anymore. This is the fuckin' last time you leave behind someone I care about."

First, it had been Merle and look what that had done to his brother. Now, he was six feet under. Like hell he'd let that happen to Carol.

_ His_ Carol.

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**So, tell me the truth. Should I continue with this little experiment?**

**Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**I am seriously overwhelmed with all of the reviews I have gotten for this little story so far. And to think I wasn't going to post it because I thought everyone would hate it! You guys are all the best and I seriously love every single one of you! :D**

**So, I hope you all like this chapter as much as the last one!**

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**Chapter Two**

He had asked Maggie where Rick had taken Carol on the run and she told him. When he turned to walk away, she called after him.

"Daryl, wait!"

He turned and waited for her to speak. When she hesitated, he rolled his eyes and went to leave again. He didn't have time for this shit. Carol was still out there. Alone.

This time she ran up and stopped in front of him. "Bring her back, Daryl." She bounced a little on her toes and looked away from him. "Rick told me what she did and why he kicked her out. It ain't fair of him to decide that and I want her back here."

Daryl nodded. "If everythin' goes well, she'll be back here in no time and there ain't goin' to be anymore of Rick makin' decisions on his own. That's for damn sure."

"What if...?" Maggie trailed off before taking a deep breath and continued. "What if you don't find her? You'll come back, right?"

Daryl was silent. What _if_ he didn't find her? Could he bear being at the prison without her there? People needed him, he knew, but he needed her and the thought of her not being there with him caused his gut to twist uncomfortably. How would he be able to be around Rick if he knew the man was the reason Carol wasn't there?

How would he refrain from killing him?

"Daryl," Maggie pressed. "Will you come back? We still need you and if Carol is really...gone, then we definitely can't lose you, too. Someone needs to help keep this place running."

The hunter still didn't say anything. It depended on how he found her. If he found her alive and well, he'd come back and stay. If he found her turned, then he'd still come back, but not to stay. He'd come back; have a little chat with Rick Grimes which would most likely end with the former sheriff getting a bolt between the eyes.

Finally, he answered, "This won't be the last time you see me." And that was all the answer he was going to give. If Carol was killed out there, then he'd have no reason to stay here. Sure, he'd come to care about some of the people here, but it wouldn't be the same without Carol there with him.

Maggie didn't look satisfied with his answer, but didn't say anything more.

"So, uh, how's Glenn doin'?"

"I don't know." Tears sprang to the younger woman's eyes and Daryl cursed himself for asking. "Daddy should be giving him some of the medicine soon. He'll let me know if it helps or not."

After all the shit they had to go through to get the meds, they had better fuckin' work or that would give him another reason to be pissed.

First, it had been Bob and his alcohol problem and now, it was Rick and his dumbass, hypocritical decisions.

This wasn't a fuckin' Ricktatorship anymore.

"Well, hopefully, when I get back, _with_ Carol, he's all better. I kind of miss seein' the little fucker." He gave her a small smile, hoping what he said would cheer her up some.

Maggie gave him a watery smile and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "I'm going to go visit Beth in quarantine. Be careful out there and, like I said earlier, bring her back. Despite what she did, I still care about her. She's family and I still want her here. This is her home."

"Yeah." He nodded one last time and turned to leave.

His motorcycle hadn't been ridden in some time and Daryl had missed it. There was no need to use it anymore, because when he went on runs, now, he went with a couple other people and they couldn't all fit on the bike.

He rubbed a hand over the handlebars lovingly and settled into the seat. Starting the engine, he sat there for a moment and let the bike vibrate beneath him. Then he did something he thought he'd never do in his life.

He made a deal with God.

If he found Carol out there, alive, he promised that he would tell her how he felt. But if he found her turned, well, then...this would be the last time he'd ask God for anything.

* * *

An hour later, he found himself on a twisting back road. He had passed the subdivision Maggie had said they had gone a while back and had seen no sign of Carol there. He didn't even know what he should be looking for. He didn't know what she was driving or even if she was still driving.

The roaring of his motorcycle had caused a few walkers to stumble out of the woods lining either side of the road, but he ignored them as he drove past. The last thing he needed was a distraction and there was no way those walkers would be able to catch up with him.

The only thing he was focusing on was finding Carol and bringing her back.

* * *

There was a car a head of him. It was pulled off to the side and he noticed that the driver's side door was wide open. The sinking in his gut returned. Pulling up behind it, he saw that the back was packed with supplies and he remembered Maggie telling him that Rick had sent her off with some supplies.

Was this Carol's car? And if it was, where was she?

Dismounting his bike, he lifted the strap of his crossbow over his head so he could hold it in front of him. Quietly, he crept alongside the car, in case there were any walkers around.

He froze when he neared the open door and saw blood splattered on the window.

_ No._

He slammed the door shut in anger, but was surprised to find a dead walker lying in front of car with a bloody eye socket. A sliver of hope rose inside of him. Carol had done that, which meant there was still hope she was still alive.

He followed her tracks, then, as they led into the woods. Hopefully, she wasn't that far ahead of him.

Something several feet ahead of him caught his attention and he quickened his pace. Carol's footsteps had been far apart, which suggested she had been running.

Running from what? Walkers? But there was no sign of the dragging foot tracks of the undead. There weren't any other tracks. But as he neared the object, he saw that the earth was upturned. Like a struggle had happened. He still recognized Carol's small footprint, but he didn't recognize the larger prints surrounding it.

He knelt down and picked up the object that had been half covered by leaves. A cold shot of dread raced through his body when he realized that it was Carol's knife.

**I hope you all still are liking where this is going! :) There is probably only going to be about 2 more chapters and the next chapter, we will finally see Carol! :)**

**Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Well, the original plan for this was to have it finished before the episode tonight. That didn't happen. I still have one more part after this. I also want to apologize for the shortness of this chapter. Things may seem a little rushed, but I was in a hurry to get it up!**

**I'm hoping that tonight we get to see Daryl react to Rick's news about Carol by punching him in the face, but something tells me we won't. :(. There's always fanfiction, though, and there are some AMAZING writers on this site! :)**

**Well, I hope you enjoy this!**

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**Chapter Three**

Carol was out there somewhere, unarmed and by seeing the other set of footprints; he knew that she wasn't alone, either. That was even worse.

The obvious signs of a struggle unsettled him and he even began to wonder if she was still alive. What if whoever had caught up with her had killed her? He straightened, clutched his crossbow in one hand and Carol's knife in the other. He scanned the area around and found two parallel lines leaning farther into the woods.

Someone had been dragged and the trails were deep. That someone obviously didn't want to go with them and had fought hard. Despite his uncertainty of her fate, he couldn't help but feel a swell of pride.

Carol was a fighter.

* * *

He hadn't been walking long when a gunshot suddenly broke through the silence of the woods. The sound had caused him to jump and curse. That was sure to bring any walker for miles. Instead of heading in the opposite direction of the gunshot, he began to head toward it. Carol was out here somewhere and she may have been the one to shoot the gun...or the one being shot at.

That thought caused him to start running through the trees.

It didn't take him long to find himself in a clearing. His crossbow was in front of him and ready to fire. His eyes zeroed in on a figure on the other side of the clearing, who was slumped over. He recognized the jacket and dread turned his body to ice.

That was Carol over there. She was slumped over. Had she been the one to be shot? His feet were moving even before he told them to and he was by her side in seconds. Falling to his knees, he dropped his crossbow and tilted her chin so that he could see her face.

"Carol? You a'right?" _Please be a'right._He swiftly looked her over and didn't see any blood.

Her haunted blue eyes met his. They instantly filled up with tears when she saw it was him. Without thinking, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

She was sobbing into his neck, now. "That's three, Daryl!" She cried.

He pulled back slightly so he could look at her face. "Three, what?" He asked, confused.

"Three people I've killed." Instead of crying into his neck, again, she placed her head in her hands. Tears rolled off them and splashed to the dirt below.

It struck him, then, that she really _did_ kill Karen and David and this was her way of telling him. She was obviously torn about it, but he knew that she had thought she was protecting her family. Too bad it hadn't worked and she now had to live with the consequences.

But he only knew of her killing two people. Who was the third?

"Behind you," she said, as if knowing what he was so silent. "He tried to take me somewhere. Dragged me through the woods and finally, I was able to get the upper hand and I shot him. No hesitation or anything."

Daryl didn't look behind him to see that body; instead he took one of Carol's hands in his and pulled her to her feet as he stood up. "You didn't do anythin' wrong. He as goin' to hurt you and you reacted. Ain't no one goin' to fault you for that."

"I killed Karen and David." She wiped the tears from her cheeks. "They were part of our group and I killed them. I thought it would help stop the sickness, but it didn't and now I have to live with myself."

"Well, you're goin' to have to live with yourself back at the prison. I'm takin' you back." He shouldered his crossbow.

"Rick kicked me out."

"It wasn't Rick's call to make. He hasn't been our leader for months and he can't jus' decide he's goin' to be one again without tellin' anyone." Daryl said, his face hard with the anger he felt for the former sheriff.

"What about Tyreese? He'll demand I leave again if he finds out."

"Which he won't. If Rick's smart, he won't have told him and maybe we'll be able to figure somethin' out."

"Daryl, I-"

"I ain't leavin' here without you," he said, firmly. "I came out all this way to get you and I ain't goin' back without you."

Carol gave him a small smile and then, her gaze flickered to the ground behind him. "I think you might want to shoot him in the head before he turns. I only had one bullet and that went straight through his heart."

He smiled proudly at her aim. He was the one who had taught her to shoot. "A'right." he unslung his crossbow and turned so that he could get a good shot at the man's head. He froze, though, when he got a good look at the man's face. The man only had one eye, the other being covered by a black eye patch.

Carol had killed the Governor.

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**Some of you may be wondering where Carol got the gun from. Well, I saw a pic from last episode where she's giving her watch to Rick and she has a pistol stuffed into the waistband of her pants.**

**Thanks for reading! :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Here is the fourth and final chapter of this little story. I hope you all aren't disappointed in it! I really enjoyed writing this. It was nice to get some of my frustrations out! I also want to thank everyone who has read this. It really means a lot! :) Now, I hope you all enjoy!**

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**Chapter Four**

Carol wrapped her thin arms around Daryl's waist and held on tight as he started the bike and drove off. The pack on her back was heavy, since it was filled with as many supplies as they could fit in it. She couldn't believe they were going back to the prison, a place where she was forbidden to ever go back to again.

She had tried to tell Daryl, that, but he wouldn't have none of it.

"You killed the fuckin' Governor, Carol. If you ain't welcome back after doin' _that_, then they can all go fuck themselves."

Almost everyone in that prison had a reason for wanting the Governor dead and even Rick couldn't deny that while the man was still alive, he was a threat.

"But what about the others? Glenn, Maggie, Beth...don't they all hate me for what I did? I can't go back there, Daryl, if they hate me, then I don't want to go back. I couldn't stand it." She looked away from him and rubbed her forearms, as if she was chilled.

"They won't hate you, Carol." He grabbed her hands and held them in his. "I promise. Maggie told me that she wants you back. The only people you may have to worry about it Rick and Tyreese, but I'll handle 'em."

"Tyreese is a big man, Daryl. A big, _angry_ man." Tears filled her eyes. "You'd get killed trying to protect me from him."

"Ain't goin' to happen. Way I see it, that man owes me one. He almost got my ass killed when we were on that run."

Carol gasped.

"It's true. We found a place that was overgrown with branches and shit. We started hackin' away on it, but that man jus' went crazy. Turns out, he managed to open a fuckin' door that had some walkers behind it. I didn't expect one to grab my fuckin' arm."

"God," A hand covered her mouth. "I'm glad it didn't bite you."

"Me too." He smirked. "So, are you comin' back with me or what?"

Finally, after several seconds, she finally nodded her head.

"Good. Now, come on, we're wasting daylight." Together they made their way back to her car and his bike.

* * *

"So, are you goin' to tell me how you managed to kill the fuckin' Governor?" Daryl asked as they made their way back to his bike. He had been curious about how she had managed to kill the man that had been so elusive and untouchable the past several months.

"I still can't believe it was him," she said.

Daryl turned and smirked at her. "It's him. I'd know that fucker anywhere." They walked in silence a few more seconds before she began to speak.

"Well, my car ran out of gas. I got out of the car and went to pop the trunk because Rick gave me some gas before he made me leave. I noticed the walker in front of my car and I killed it." She stumbled over a fallen branch and Daryl quickly grabbed her arm to steady her. She smiled her thanks and continued. "While I was getting the gas can, something grabbed me from behind. I thought it was a walker and I managed to break free, but I was surprised to see it was a man. He gave me this smile and I just knew there was something off about him, so I ran."

"Smart decision." Daryl added.

"He caught up with me eventually and in the scuffle I dropped my knife. He must have thought that it was my only weapon because as we continued walking his grip lessened on my arm. Finally, I took him by surprise, grabbed my pistol from underneath my shirt and shot him."

"Glad you did. For more reasons than one. When I heard that gunshot, I came runnin'."

"I didn't think you come looking for me."

Daryl stopped in his tracks and looked at her. "What?" When had he ever given her the impression that he would never look for her?

"I thought when Rick told you what I did, that you would agree with him. That you would think that it was a good decision to send me away because I'm no longer trustworthy and that I was turning cold."

"I ain't Rick's bitch. Everythin' that comes outta his mouth ain't gold and I don't agree with everythin' he says. This was one of 'em." He walked over to stand in front of her. "You thought you were stoppin' the sickness, I understand that, Carol."

Carol looked away from him. "But it didn't work. I killed them for nothing. What if they could have gotten better?" She looked at him, then, with eyes full of tears. "I took two innocent people's lives, Daryl. I can't come back from that."

"You can and you will." He pulled her to his chest and let her sob in his chest again. "I'm not goin' to go back to that prison without you."

She nodded and the tears quieted down. "Then you won't. I'm coming with you."

"Good."

Several minutes later, they made it back to his bike and her car. Carol seemed uncertain on what to do. Should she drive the car back? Or was she going to ride with Daryl on his bike?

He answered that question for her. "I say we leave this car here, pack up everythin' we can fit in that pack of yours and then head back on the Triumph."

She smiled. "Okay." Together they packed her pack and made sure that it wasn't so heavy that it would pull her off the bike.

"Oh, and one more thing." Daryl stopped her before they could mount the bike.

"What?" She asked. What had they forgotten?

He grabbed her gently by the arm and pulled her close. Before she could ask what he was doing, his lips descended on hers in a gentle kiss. Though it surprised her, it didn't take her long to respond. She had been wanting to do this with him since the farm.

Daryl pulled away. "Made a deal with God and well..." He looked nervous and he chewed on his bottom lip before speaking again. "I love you."

Carol was shocked. She had never thought that Daryl Dixon would say those words to her. _Ever._

"Told him that if I found you alive, then I'd finally admit my feelin's."

"I'm glad you found me, then."

Daryl shifted his feet and looked up at her shyly. "So, uh, do you...you know?"

He sounded like a little boy when he asked that and the smile on her face grew bigger. "I love you, too, Pookie."

* * *

The moment the prison came into view, Carol's arms tightened around his waist. Taking one hand off the handlebars, he squeezed one of hers in reassurance. Nothing was going to happen to her, not while he was around.

The sound of the motorcycle's engine caused whoever was on watch to come running. It was Maggie. Daryl, then, watched in annoyance as Rick quickly followed. Luckily, it was just them and not a certain hammer wielding big man.

They parked between the outside gate and the one that led to prison yard. Carol had just gotten off the bike, when she was nearly barreled over by Maggie, who was hugging her tightly.

Carol's eyes filled with happy tears as she hugged the younger woman back. She hadn't expected to be welcomed back so warmly.

The warm embrace was cut short when Rick finally walked up to them and Daryl didn't waste a second to lay the man on the ground with a right hook to the jaw.

Both women gasped, but didn't move to stop either man.

Rick wiped the blood that now spilled from his split lip and stood up with a placating hand. "Now, Daryl-"

With a roar, Daryl grabbed the former sheriff by the front of the shirt and slammed him against the chain link fence. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you, Rick."

"Listen, Daryl, I know that sending Carol away was a decision I shouldn't have made on my own, but if I hadn't done it, then Tyreese would have-"

"Do you know who she fuckin' ran into out there? Do you?" He pressed the man harder into the fence. "She ran into the Governor. If she hadn't had a gun, she could have been killed or worse!"

Carol knew that he had been thinking about the way he had found Merle. Not only had his brother been killed, but he'd been able to turn.

"The Governor?" Rick asked in disbelief and his gaze flicked to Carol.

"Yeah," she said and stepped forward. "I didn't know it at the time. He grabbed me while I was getting some gas. It didn't know what he was going to do to me and at the first chance I got, I killed him."

"He's dead?" Maggie turned to her and asked. Relief was written all over her face.

Carol nodded.

"Thank God."

Daryl let go of Rick, then, and stepped back from him. His hard gaze never left the man, though. "So, if that ain't a ticket back into her _home_, then I don't know what is."

"There's just the matter of Tyreese and the fact that I don't want her-"

"If you were about to say that you didn't want her around your kids, then I'd stop right now." Daryl stepped forward menacingly and he clenched his fists. "That woman would do _anythin'_ for your children. She'd die for them and if you didn't know that, then you obviously didn't know Carol _at all_."

It was silent for a moment. Everyone looked at Rick. Maggie wrapped an arm around Carol and pulled her closer.

"I haven't told Tyreese about what she's done. I've only told Maggie and Hershel." Rick straightened. "But this is something we have to discuss, Daryl. Tyreese still has it out for whoever killed Karen and I can't keep feeding him a bunch of bullshit."

"Well, you will until we get everythin' sorted out. Carol ain't leavin' here again and if she does, then I'm goin' with her."

Rick nodded in understanding. "Fine. Tomorrow we'll have a meeting and discuss what we should do. Hopefully, Tyreese will have calmed down some by then. You know, Carol," he turned to the woman. "He's not going to understand why you did what you did."

"I know."

"Looks like we're done here," Daryl said and walked up to Carol, motioning for her to take off the pack and hand it to him. He turned and threw it at Rick's feet. "If you need us by tomorrow, we'll be in my cell." He mounted his bike and looked right at Rick as Carol mounted behind him. "I strongly suggest you don't need us."

Then he started the bike and drove off to their cellblock.

* * *

That night, Daryl laid awake with Carol curled into his side sleeping softly. His mind was going a million miles an hour. He could have lost this woman. He almost had gone the rest of his life not telling her how he felt.

The moment they had walked into his cell, he slid the curtain across the doorway and began to show her exactly how he felt.

It didn't matter what was decided tomorrow, Carol was never going to leave his side again. Wherever she went, he would follow.

Carol was his home, now.

**The End**

* * *

**Well, I didn't know how to solve the problem with Tyreese, so I decided to end it here. I hope you all aren't mad! At least we got some Caryl! :)**

**So, the other night I had this dream and from this dream I kind of got another idea for a short story. It's Caryl of course! I don't want to tell you the plot because I don't want to give some stuff away, but if you're interested in reading it let me know and maybe I'll post it one day soon!**

**Thanks for reading! **


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